GEORGE TOWN, Oct 16 — Fire and Rescue Department personnel managed to diffuse a tense situation at a private hospital here when they talked a male patient out of committing suicide this afternoon.

The firemen spent about two hours persuading the 25-year-old who had posed as a doctor, to give up his death wish in the incident at about 12.30pm.

Earlier, the man had broken a windowpane on the 17th floor before sitting precariously on its ledge, dangling one foot out of the window.

Lebuh Pantai Fire and Rescue Department chief Ismail Mohd Zain said he initially faced difficulties in trying to lure the patient away from the window as he had become aggressive.

“The man screamed and hurled a water container at me and my fellow firefighters, and almost losing control of himself.

“After nearly two hours, we finally managed to calm him down as some of us even posed as doctors in our rescue efforts. Some of the man’s friends even assisted us by offering him drinks, bread and apples,” he said.

Ismail said the man was admitted to the private hospital by his family after he complained of headache and diarrhoea.

It is understood that the man would be taken to the Penang Hospital for further treatment.

Earlier, 15 firemen in two engines had arrived at the private hospital when the man threatened to commit suicide. — Bernama